MALTS UNIQUELY CRAFTED FOR DISTILLERS

Low-GN Malts

First, let’s look at low-GN malt products. In certain varieties of barley, a glycosidic nitrile (GN) compound called epiheterodendrin (EPH), presents itself in finished malt. During the production of distilled spirits, the EPH in malt can lead to trace but undesirable levels of the potentially carcinogenic compound, ethyl carbamate (EC).

To minimize GN production, maltsters select barley varieties that are non or low GN, such as Odyssey, Laureate, and Diablo, in order to create specific products for today’s distillers. These particular varieties lack the genetics to produce high GN content. Maltsters may also employ cooler germination conditions during the malting process to minimize modification as an added assurance against higher GN.

These low-GN malts are used exclusively in Scottish single-malt whisky distilleries. Maltsters in the UK, and some in the U.S. like Great Western Malting, specifically use plump, low protein and low-GN barley to produce malts for distillers. Besides reducing the EC risk, these low protein barley malts produce very high extract or predicted spirit yield (PSY). They are perfect as the base of any all-malt-type spirit, like American Single Malt Whiskey.

High Enzyme Malts

Next, let’s talk about the American-style high enzyme malts. This is the type of malt used in most craft and large-scale production of bourbon and rye whiskies. Historically, these malts were produced utilizing 6-row barley, but now high protein 2-row barley is typically used to achieve the same high enzyme result. Due to these unique characteristics, when processed in the malthouse, they produce an extremely high enzyme package, which is typically more than double that of a low-GN style malt. This allows for more efficient alcohol production without compromising the essential and sometimes subtle flavors in your distillate. High enzyme malts are the perfect choice for spirits containing large amounts of corn, wheat and rye grains.